Tatt Stats: Ink Work Anywhere and Everywhere is More Accepted Now

A new survey out says it's no longer taboo to have a tattoo. And in some cases, it helps your chances at landing the gig --no, it's the first study ever conducted exclusively among baristas, bloggers, and strippers.

Researchers from the University of Miami and the University of Western Australia say that not only are tattoos becoming more common — 40 percent of millennials have gotten inked — but their study shows that even visible tattoos don’t have any effect on job prospects, income, or advancement. In some cases, the researchers found, tattoos can be an advantage.

The researchers surveyed more than 2,000 participants from across all 50 states during the summer of 2016. About half of the respondents came from dense, urban areas with booming populations. When comparing salaries and wages of tattooed workers versus ink-free participants, they found annual earnings to be “statistically indistinguishable.” In fact, they determined that people with tattoos were more likely to be hired by companies in some cases.

Hiring experts hail this as forward thinking and a smart move that’s giving companies a competitive edge over offices that still discriminate.